MUKAI SHUZO

KYOTO

Kyōto prefecture is located close to the centre of Japan’s main island Honshū. The area is long and narrow from north to south and has the Tanba highlands positioned roughly at its centre, dividing the climate of the region into two varieties - the Japan Sea variety and the continental variety. Mukai Shuzō is located at the northern tip of Kyōto prefecture and is right on the coast of the Sea of Japan, in the picturesque fishing village of Ine. This small village, with a population of just over 3000, is built around the Ine Bay and is famous for the style of houses known as ‘funaya’ or ‘boathouses’. These houses have the first floor open to the water so that owners can moor their small fishing boats under their home. Mukai Shuzō is also built along the Bay and locals can even steer their boat up alongside to buy a crate of sake!

Mukai Shuzō is a tiny brewery with an exceptionally long history having been founded in 1754 and is still a family run business today. The current Tōji [Master Brewer] is Kuniko Mukai who is the eldest daughter of the Kuramoto [Brewery Owner] Yoshihisa Mukai. Kuniko left her hometown to study fermentation and brewing techniques at Tōkyō University of Agriculture and after graduation spent one year as a brewery worker before assuming the role of Tōji at her family's brewery in 1998. Kuniko was one of the first women Master Brewers in Japan at the young age of 22, and by becoming Tōji at Mukai kept alive the family-run tradition at their brewery that has now been brewing for 260 years. Kuniko’s husband has also now also joined the brewing team at Mukai after having worked at Akishika Shuzō.

As the town of Ine is limited for space the tiny Mukai brewery consists of two small buildings one on the waters edge with the other separated by a small road. One building is where the rice is washed, soaked and steamed before spending time in the kōji room also housed in the building. All of the washing, soaking and steaming of the rice is done vertically as the space at the brewery is at such a premium. After the kōji [inoculated rice] is ready, it has to be carried across the road to the other brewery building that contains the tanks for fermentation. This building also houses the bottling equipment where all of the sake is hand bottled and labelled. 50 cases of sake takes them around 3 days to bottle whilst maintaining the rest of the brewing!

Kuniko is an exceptionally creative brewer who makes sake that are unique to her style. Her most famous sake is the Ine Mankai, a rose petal coloured sake made from a an ancient strain of red rice grown locally in Ine.

MUKAI SHUZO - KYOTO

CLASSIFICATION:

Junmai • Pure Rice Sake

Genshu • Undiluted

One of the most unique sake being made : the Ine Mankai from Mukai Shuzō is made with an ancient strain of red rice along with white rice to create this rose petal coloured sake. In Japan, red rice has been cultivated and used for traditional celebrations in provincial villages and towns for centuries, but it is extremely rare to see red rice used commercially. While studying fermentation and brewing techniques at Tōkyō University, Kuniko met Professor Takeda who encouraged her to create a sake made from the red rice he knew grew locally in Kuniko's hometown area of Ine. Professor Takeda also emphasised that the most important thing in sake brewing is the balance of flavours, with sweetness and acidity in harmony. In May 2000 Kuniko launched her red rice sake and called it 'Ine Mankai' or ‘Ine in Full Bloom’ and it’s well balanced levels of sweetness & acidity make it perfect for drinking with a wide variety of foods. Complex cherry & vanilla aroma with unique sweet/tart cherry & pomegranate flavours with a savoury, umami rich palate works equally well with savoury dishes or sweet. Delicious with duck | fermented or smoked foods | rhubarb| red berries | quandong. Unique and delicious!

MUKAI SHUZO - KYOTO

CLASSIFICATION:

Junmai • Pure Rice Sake

Another unique sake from Kuniko Mukai. The Natsu no Omoide has been made with a unique and rare strain of yeast called the ‘100 year old’ yeast that Kuniko propagated from a strain stored at Tōkyō University of Agriculture where she studied fermentation and brewing. The Natsu no Omoide has been aged for 14 years and has an aroma of wood shavings and rich dried apricot. Umami rich palate with sweet and sour apricot, prune and vanilla followed by a long finish with bitter caramel and wood nuances. The Natsu no Omoide is unlike any other sake and we have nicknamed it our “Jura-zake” as it reminds us of wine from the Jura with its almost oxidative flavour. So unique!

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Black Market Sake supports the responsible service of alcohol. It is against the law to sell or supply to, or obtain alcohol on behalf of, a person under the age of 18 years. You must be over 18 years of age to place an order online.